Inspection station for wood logs



Oct. 18, 1966 s. A. BILOCQ INSPECTION STATION FOR WOOD LOGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 1, 1965 INVENTOR Gegqes A. BIL 0C0 A TTOR/VUS Oct. 18, 1966 G. A. BILOCQ 3,279,532

INSPECTION STATION FOR WOOD LOGS Filed Feb. 1, 1965 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Georges ,4. BILOCQ A FUR/V575 l cutting.

United States Patent Office 3,279,582 Patented Oct. 18, 1966 3,279,582 1 INSPECTION STATION FOR WOOD LOGS Georges A. Bilocq, Plessisville, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Forano Limitee, Plessisville, Quebec, Canada Filed Feb. 1, 1965, Ser.'No.429,406

4 Claims. (Cl; 1 9833) The present invention relates generallyto an inspection station. for wood .logs andmore specifically to a machine for the, alignment, straightening and, inspection of wood logs before the latter are. sent, for processing.

There is presently a need; for amachine of this type where wood cutting is not done on a selective-basis and where it is intended that classification as to species and quality be done at the mill rather than in the field before It is therefore a principal objectof this invention to provide a machine to be used for the inspection of logs in regard to species and quality prior to the rejection of undesired logs.

Another object of the invention lies in providing such a,machine wherein manual handling'of the logs is entirely eliminated whereby the attention of the inspector may completely be directed to his work.

A still further object of the invention is in the provision of a machine of the above type that will move the logs and apply thereto a movement whereby the inspector is capable of assessing the overall quality and nature thereof whereby to separate them accordingly.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of such a machine capable of aligning the logs and straightening them before they are either stamped as acceptable or discarded as undesirable.

It is still another object of the invention to provide such an inspection machine that is quite simple in structure and yet can be made of sturdy construction whereby to reduce both the costs of manufacturing and of operation and, because of its simplicity, is easy to operate whereby not to detract the inspectors attention during his work.

. These objects may be attained in a machine made according to the invention which comprises an inspection .bed formed of a series of inclined parallel rollers rotatable at equal speed and in the same direction, with each roller formed of a cylindrical part and a conical part of the lower end. thereof in such'a way that the conical part and. the adjoining portion of thecylindrical part define a generally V-shapedlog-receiving trough. The cylindrical part of each roller is provided with a helical ridge on the surface thereof-which terminates at the adjacent portion, the ridges serving to drive the logs longitudinally .of and across the rollers. wall is provided along one edge of the machine against which the logs are intended to abut in their lateral displacement across the rollers, the wall being movable in the longitudinal direction of and at the same speed as the logs and terminating in the adjacent portion mentioned above. Finally, a stationary upstanding wall is provided which is in line with the movable wall and on which the ends of the logs abut after leaving the movable wall. 1

With the above arrangement, the logs "are discharged over the above-mentioned inspection bed whence they are V-shaped trough where they thenjabut the stationary wall.

.In this trough, the logs pile up until the comingalong -of further logs move the foremost logs on the incline provided by the conical part. The incoming logs serve, if necessary, to' straighten the logs which are already aligned at one end by having been driven against the movable wall.

An upstanding tionwill beatforde'd by the descriptionthat follows of a specific embodiment thereof having reference to the appended drawings" wherein:

FIG. 1 is ageneral perspective view of the inspection station of the invention; v I

FIG. 2 is 'aside'ele'vatiori view of the station of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the machine for the alignment, straightening and inspection of the wood logs;

FIG. 4 is a transverse elevation view of the machine of FIG; 3. v

The inspection station will be seen to comprise a-feeding conveyor 1 adapted to receive logs to be inspected and to dischargethem on' an inspection bed or table 3 where the inspection operation is carried out in the manner mentioned above, the logs to be' thereafter pushed on a discharge conveyor 5 provided with the necessary apparatus for marking the desirable logs and discarding gated rollers 11 each formed of a cylindrical part 13 along the major extent thereof and a conical part 15 flaring from the lower end of the cylindrical part 13. Spaced rollers 11 are provided with axles 17 mounted for rotation in bearings 19 secured to a supporting structure 21, the latter being fixed on a machine base 23 in such a manner that the longitudinal axes of rollers 11, common with the. axes of rotation of axles 17, are similarly inclined in relation to the vertical and downwardly in relation to the general direction of displacement of the logs as indicated by arrow a of FIG. 1.

A motor 25 mounted on the supporting structure 21 has a drive 27 coupling with one end of an axle 17 (see FIGS; 2 and 4.). A second drive 28 connects all roller axles together whereby rotation of drive 27 will cause rotation of drive 28 and subsequently rotation of all rollers in the same directionand at the same speed.

A speed reducer 29 is shown between motor 25 and drive'27. a

A helical ridge 31 projects from the surface of each roller from the end corresponding to the feeding conveyor '1 to terminate short of the junction between the cylindrical part 13 and the conical part 15..

The cylindrical portions of rollers 11 between the end -ofridges 31 and the said junction define with the conical part 15 the above-mentioned generally V-shaped logreceiving trough.

The pitch of the helical ridges 31 is such as to receive a log between consecutive spires thereof.

A first plate 35 bridges the gap between the discharge end ofthe feeding conveyor 1 and the adjacent end of the travelling conveyor formed by rollers 11 while a second plate 35' bridges the gap'between the discharge end of the V-shaped trough' and the receiving end of the discharge conveyor 5 to guide the logs therebetween.

I An upstanding alignment movable Wall 39 is provided along the side of the conveyor toward which the logs are displaced as they are carried in the direction of arrow a andunder the .actiomof the rotationlofc-rollers. -1 1.-- It Reference to FIG. 3 will show that the first wall 39 w preferably terminates in front of the cylindrical portion 33 so that a long, such as log 43 shown in dotted lines,

.Will stand free thereof'when ithasreached the bottom got? the V-shaped trough formed between the'conical part and the cylindrical portion 33. t Y

It will be understood from theabove description that should a log be discharged on the inspection table at an angle in relation to the direction of displacement caused by rollers 11, that inclination will be retained until the time, one end of the log will remain stationary while the other end will be pushed along until the said log 43 is straightened either by the helical ridges 31-,or by in- .coming logs as they ride on the smooth cylindrical portion 33. a

.log reaches the position of log 43 of FIG. 3. .At that Movable wall 39 may be any standard belt conveyor V V Winding around a pair of upstanding rolls 45 one, of

which is driven by a motor 47 througha speed reducer 49 and by means of a belt drive 51'.

Once the logs have reached discharge conveyor 5, some will be stamped by a stamping machine 53 and retained thereon while the others will be discarded by being driven through an opening 54 in stationary wall 41 by such means as a hydraulic pusher 55. t Y

I Although a specific embodiment of the invention has just been described it will be understood that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from ;the spirit thereof as set forth in the appended claims. .For instance, more rollers 11 may be added if it is found more convenient or if thelogs'are of a suitable length.

I claim: -1. A machine for the alignment, straightening and inspection of wood logs, comprising:

(a) a series of inclined parallel rollers rotatable at equal speed and in the same direction, said rollers formed of a cylindrical part'and a conical part at the lower end thereof; said conical part and the adjacent portion of said cylindrical part defining "a generally .V-shaped log-receiving trough;

(b) a helical ridge on the surface of each cylindrical part terminating at said, adjacent portion; said ridges to drive logs longitudinally of'and across said rollers; (c) an upstanding wall against which said logs', abut in their displacement across said rollers,-said wall movable in the direction of displacement of and at the speed of said logs and terminating in :said adjacent portion, and.

(d) a stationary upstanding wall next to and inline with said movable wall on which the ends of the logs abut after leaving said movable wall.

2. A machine for the alignment, straightening and inspection of wood logs comprising; v

(a) a travelling conveyor to displace logs ina predetermined direction; said conveyor formed of a .plurality of rollers placed side-by-side-with the longitudinal axes thereof parallel to said direction;

(b) means to mount-said rollers to be inclined downwardly in relation to said direction; r

(c) saidrollers each formed of a'cylindrical part and a conical .part at thelow'er end thereof; said Iconical (e) means to simultaneously rotate said rollers to cause advancement of the logs in said direction and displacement thereof across said rollers;

(f) an upstanding alignment movable wall along the side of said conveyor toward which the logs are displaced as they are carried in said direction; said wall terminating in said adjacent portion;

(g) means to move saidaligning wall along said direction, at the speed of displacement of the logs, and

(h) an upstanding stationary wall in line with and in the continuation of said movable wall for the abutment of logs when resting in said V-shaped trough. A 3. A machine for the alignment, straightening and in-.

I of said cylindrical part, a generally V-shaped' logreceiving trough; I V (d) a helical ridge projecting fromthe surface of eac roller and terminating at the beginning of said'adjacentportion; the .pitch of said helical ridge being such as to receive a log between consecutive spires thereof;

(e) means to simultaneously rotate said rollers to cause advancement of the logs in said direction and displacement thereof across said rollers;

(f) anupstanding alignment movable wall along the side of said conveyor toward which the logs are displaced as they are carried in said direction; said wall the junction between said cylindrical and conical p'arts;

(g) means to move said alignment wall along said direction, at the speed of displacement of the logs, and (h) an upstanding stationary wall in line with and in the continuation of said movablewall for the abutment of logs'when resting in said V-shaped trough.

4. In an inspection station for wood log processing, a

place logs in a predetermined direction; said conveyor formed of a plurality of rollers placed side-by-side with the longitudinal axes thereof parallel to said direction; a V

(c) means to mount said rollers to be inclined downwardly in relation to said direction;

((1) said rollers formed along the major extent thereof as a cylindrical part, and a conical part flaring up-' Wardly' from the lower end of the cylindrical part; said conical part defining with the adjacent portion of said cylindrical part, a generally V-shape d log-receiving trough;

(e) a helical ridge projecting from the surface of each roller and terminating at the beginning of said ad-.

jacent portion; the pitch of said helical ridge being such as to receive a log between consecutive spires thereof; a (f) means to simultaneously rotate said rollers to cause advancement of the logs in said direction and displacement thereof across said rollers;

side-of said conveyor toward which the logs are displaced as they are carried in said direction; said'wall terminating in said adjacent portion and short of the junction between said cylindrical and conical parts;

said conical part defining with the adjacent portion terminating in said adjacent portion and shortof.

(g) an upstanding alignment movable wall along the;

(h) means to move said aligning wall along said direction, at the speed of displacement of the logs; (i) an upstanding stationary wall in line with and in the continuation of said movable wall for the abutment of logs when resting in said V-shaped trough;

(j) a discharge conveyor having a log receiving end at the outlet of said V-shaped trough;

(k) a first plate bridging the gap between the discharge end of said feeding conveyor and the adjacent end of said travelling conveyor to guide logs therebetween;

(1) a second plate bridging the gap between the discharge end of said V-shaped trough and the receiving end of said discharge conveyor to guide logs therebetween.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

R. A. SCHACHER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MACHINE FOR THE ALIGNMENT, STRAIGHTENING AND INSPECTION OF WOOD LOGS, COMPRISING: (A) A SERIES OF INCLINED PARALLEL ROLLERS ROTATABLE AT EQUAL SPEED AND IN THE SAME DIRECTION, SAID ROLLERS FORMED OF A CYLINDRICAL PART AND A CONICAL PART AT THE LOWER END THEREOF; SAID CONICAL PART AND THE ADJACENT PORTION OF SAID CYLINDRICAL PART DEFINING A GENERALLY V-SHAPED LOG-RECEIVING TROUGH; (B) A HELICAL RIDGE ON THE SURFACE OF EACH CYLINDRICAL PART TERMINATING AT SAID ADJACENT PORTION; SAID RIDGES TO DRIVE LOGS LONGITUDINALLY OF AND ACROSS SAID ROLLERS; (C) AN UPSTANDING WALL AGAINST WHICH SAID LOGS ABUT IN THEIR DISPLACEMENT ACROSS SAID ROLLERS, SAID WALL MOVABLE IN THE DIRECTION OF DISPLACEMENT OF AND AT A THE SPEED OF SAID LOGS AND TERMINATING IN SAID ADJACENT PORTION, AND (D) A STATIONARY UPSTANDING WALL NEXT TO AND IN LINE WITH SAID MOVABLE WALL ON WHICH THE ENDS OF THE LOGS ABUT AFTER LEAVING SAID MOVABLE WALL. 